Design

Projects by Millennials: The Devoid Tower

Illinois Institute of Technology

As we enter into the global age of the city, with discussions of density and urban design reaching an ever-greater fever pitch, emerging designers will be charged with building tall. And as this project by Daniel Caven illustrates, they will strive to make those buildings energy-positive. For an under­graduate studio, Caven relied on computational fluid dynamic system analysis, as well as examples of manmade and natural wind-harvesting techniques, as he designed the Devoid Tower, situated on the Chicago River. Wind is funneled into inset turbines, creating enough energy in theory to power four or five surrounding buildings.

“The past idea of towers acting as modern monumental statues has become obsolete. No longer can a tower be a mere stacked floor plate, withdrawing energy from an outsourced supply; they must be capable of generating active energy outputs using sustainable mechanical devices, ultimately creating economic gains for cities. And these new towers must also conform to each specific city differently.” —Daniel Caven

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About the Author

Eric Wills is the senior editor for features at ARCHITECT. His writing has been cited in Best American Essays, and he edited a series of columns by Witold Rybczynski that were nominated for a National Magazine Award in 2014.